Clasp



J. F.. DELCOURT.

CLASP. APPLICATION FILED IAN.20, |921.

1,382,484, Patented June 21, 1921.

vwawtop JOSEPH F. DELCOURT, 0F' NEW BEDFORDH MASSACHUSETTS.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Application ledvJ'anuary 20, 1921. Serial No. 438,684.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. DELCOURT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps; and I do declare the following to' be v a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relatesy to an improved clasp of the type disclosed in my prior application, filed August 20, 1920, Serial No. 404,893, and is an improvement over the structure shown therein. One obj ect of the invention is to so construct the clasp that a strip of fabric similar to a garter strap may be connected with the lower jaw of the clasp in an improved manner, oneV portion ofthe garter strap being stitched to the lower jaw and the end portion of the strap ybeing passed about the lower end of the aw and through a transversely extending slot formed therein, so that the end of the strap will be positioned between the lower jaw and the portion of the strap beneath the jaw.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the upper jaw that if desired, the garter strap may be connected with a loop carried by the upper jaw n and positioned about a resilient arm carried by the lower jaw. l,

Another object of the invention is to'so construct the lower jaw that thergoods engaged by the two jaws may be forced into side pockets formed in the lower jaw and thus the goods prevented from slipping longitudinally between the two jaws. v

Another object loit the invention is to so construct the actuating lever for themovable jaw that its end portion may be easily engaged by the finger when it is desired to swing the lever upwardly to move the jaws to a releasing position.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this clasp that the resilient arm will have a great deal of resiliency and the actuating lever securely held in a lowered position, latching means lbeing provided to releasably hold the lever in a lowered position. s l

Another object of the invention is to .so construct the clasp that the portion of the article clamped between the two jaws may be held flat and securely clamped between the jaws.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved clasp.

F ig. 2 is a view showing the improved clasp in an open position and shown partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the clasp in the closed position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation showing a modified construction of clasp. Y

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the clasp shown in Fig'.

This improved clasp is somewhat similar in construction to that disclosed in my prior application, and is provided with alower jaw l andl an'upper jaw 2, the upper jaw being formed of separate side plates which have their outer edge portions bent down to provide depending flanges 3 and have their inner side portions kbent upwardly and riveted togetherv to provide 'a longitudinally extendingv rib 4, the rib 4 being cut to provide a circularopening 5 to receive a circular disk 6. The strip of sheet metal from which the lower jaw l is formed is resilient and has one end portion bent upwardly and split longitudinally to provide arms 7, the end portions of which are rolled to provide bearings 8 thus providing means for carrying a pivot pin 9. An actuating lever similar to that shown in the prior application has been provided and thislever is provided with a head 10 and side arms 1l which eX- tend upon opposite lsides of the rib 4 and between the bearings V8. The disk 6 which is positioned inthe circular opening 5"`is` connected with theV side arms l1 by means of a rivet or pin 12 which is positioned to one Vside of the center of the disk 6; The disk 6` is further provided at its peripheryv and diametricallyopposite the pin l2 with an opening registering with openings formed' in the arms l1 to receive the'pivot pin 9. It will thus be `seen that the lever and `the disk k6 will turn upon this pivot pin 9, the disk 6 providing an eccentricfor swinging thev 2 into and out of contact with the jaw l and longitudinally thereof'when in engagement with the lower jaw. It will be further noted that the head 10 of this lever extends forwardly beyond the side arms 11 and has its end portion cut to provide a notch 13 so that when the lever is swung down to the position of Fig. 3 and it is desired to raise the lever, this head may be engaged with a thumb nail fitting into the notch 13. Therefore, the lever can be very easily swung upwardly to a releasing posi tion. 1n order to permit the lever to be locked in the lowered position, one of the rivets which connects the inner side portions of the upper jaw to provide the rib 4, has been extended thus providing a stud 14 which will fit into a socket 15 formed in one of the side arms 11 of the lever. This stud slides into and out of the pocket 15 and will serve to releasably hold the lever in the lowered position but permit of it being freely moved to a raised position whenV desired. In order to permit the garter strap 16 to be connected with the lower jaw 1, this lowerj aw has been provided adjacent its upper end with thread receiving open@ ings 17 and adjacent its lower end with a transversely extending slot 18. The strap 16is pla'cedbeneath the jaw 1 and has its lower free end carried upwardly over the lower en d of the jaw and then passed down through the slot 18 to extend upwardly against the under face Vof this jaw. The strap is then secured` by meansof stitches 19 which pass through the openings 17 and thev strap will be securely held in place.

\ 1n the form shown in Figs. 5 and `6, the

structure is in general similar to that shown extends rearwardly Vfrom the upper jaw Vand extends about the resilient arm carried'by the'lower jaw. It should be further noted that inl this'form, the lower jaw'l has its side portions cut to provide notches Vor recesses 21 so' that whenthe clasp is in use,V

the strip of material which `iis clamped Vbetween the two jaws willbe forced into Vthese side notches "by lthe depending flanges Sof the upper jaw and thus the strip of material firmly,` held betweenthe `two jaws. It willthus be seen that there has been provided a clasp construction in which the strip 16 may he .connected with the lower jaw or if so desired,- a modified, form may be used in which the strip 16 may be connected with the upperV jaw. It will be further noted that there has been provided a clasp which will be very efficient in operation and which may be easily moved to an open or `closed position and which will securely entending u pon opposite sides of said rib, the jf,

arms having connectionwith the rib and the rib' having a latching stud extendingvfroim one side for fitting into a socket formed in one of the side arms of said lever and the lever head extending beyond the jaws and having its end portion notched to provideV a finger nail securing seat.

2. A clasp comprising a flat jaw provided with side notches, a support carried by said jaw, a second jaw between said support and first jaw and provided with depending side flanges, and actuating means movably carried by the support and having connection with said second jaw. v

Y3. A clasp comprising Ya jaw, a support carried thereby and in overhanging relation to the jaw, a second jaw Vbetween said support and first jaw, a relatively large hanger engaging eye carried by the second jaw with said support extending through the eye and the eye extending,longitudinally of the jaws, and actuating means pivotally carried by said support and having eccentric connection withthe second jaw for moving one jaw toward and away from the other and then longitudinally thereof with fthe support moving longitudinally in the eye.

4. A clasp comprising a jaw, a

support.

carried lthereby and in overhanging relation to the jaw, a second jaw between said sup-V portA and first jaw, the first jaw having openings for receiving fastener means engaging a carrier strip beneath the aw and the jaw at its forward end'having a transversely eX- tending Yslot for receiving the end of the carrier strip carried upwardly over the end of the jaw and passed down through the slot, and Vactuating means carried by said supportv and having connection with the secondjaw. v

5. .The structure of claim y7 having the second jaw, movable longitudinally of the V)first jaw and when moved toa clamping position moving inwardly beyond the transversely-extending slot. l

1n testimony whereofl have` hereunto set l f Josnrnnnnncounr 

